CBI director on forced leave Alok Verma not only ensured that Naresh Malik became a part of his extended team but also helped him wriggle out of a vigilance department inquiry
New Delhi: It is often said that one needs a godfather in police service who can help you in tough times. For Naresh Malik, enforcement officer at the Enforcement Directorate, Alok Verma was the one. Malik, even after having vigilance reports against him — to an extent of having DCP vigilance proposing “strict action” against him — managed to get a rare and high-profile central deputation at the ED.
That’s not all, Malik got all high-profile cases like AgustaWestland and Moin Qureshi, which is the epicentre of the biggest controversy involving Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana at the CBI. All thanks to Verma, who removed Malik's last hurdle for his way to ED by giving clean chit to him!
But how is Malik linked to the ongoing CBI-versus-CBI controversy? Satish Sana's name first came out in the ED's investigation in a case filed against Moin Qureshi. Sana was questioned on October 4 by the ED and Malik was the man supervising the investigation and interrogating Sana. Sana for the first time took Asthana's name in front of Verma's blue-eyed boy Malik.
Interestingly, ex-ED Karnal Singh was happy with Malik too. He never doubted his integrity, and the two knew each other since their tenures in Delhi Police.
But now, as the CBI-versus-CBI controversy is getting bigger and dirty, Malik does not want to work anymore in Delhi zone or the ED. He wants to return. Sources say he has filed a request for sending him back to the cadre (Delhi Police) amid an ongoing tussle between CBI chief Verma and his deputy Asthana. His request is under process.
Malik's report by vigilance
Malik's curious case started when he was the SHO at the Samaypur Badali police station in 2016. Serious allegations were levelled against Malik by Yashoda Verma, whose land was allegedly snatched by a mafia. Delhi Police vigilance department, on the basis of Yashoda's complaint, conducted an inquiry and found Malik guilty.
Then the vigilance department wrote a letter to the DCP (outer), asking the latter to take “strict” action against Malik. Then commissioner Delhi Police Alok Verma “approved” of the remark of the then special commissioner of police, Amulya Patnaik (current commissioner of Delhi Police) but later turned down his approval and dropped charges against Malik.
"On the then commissioner’s report, the worthy CP has approved the following remarks of Special CP, Vigilance," DCP vigilance wrote in its investigation report accessed by My nation.
"Strict departmental action is called (for) against inspector Naresh Malik (SHO Samaypur Badali), division officer ASI Joginder Singh, beat officers HC Girriraj Singh Prasad, constable Rohtash, constable Anil Kumar and emergency officer Sanjay Tyagi," the DCP vigilance said.
The DCP, who requested to send the compliance report after taking action within 15 days for perusal of senior officers, got nothing as Alok Verma, then CP Delhi, didn't take any action even after a year.
How Malik got vigilance clearance
Malik, to join the ED, required a vigilance clearance for central deputation. So, he again filed a request with the then CP Delhi, Alok Verma. As expected, the departmental action was quashed by Alok Verma with just a line written on the file, asking to drop the departmental inquiry against him.
With the help of his godfather Alok Verma, in April 2017 Malik successfully joined the ED. Officers in Delhi Police claim that Malik was a hand-picked man of Alok Verma for ED as Verma wanted to depute his man there as well.
What the victim says about Malik
According to Yashoda Verma whose land was grabbed by local mafia, Delhi Police department is not ready to give details of the action taken on Malik. An RTI filed by her in the department went unanswered.
"Naresh Malik helped the accused brazenly and tried to botch up the case. He could have taken some action easily against the land mafia but he didn't do anything. I lost my husband due to the land grab. Delhi Police took no action against him. It is strange that he is working with the Enforcement Directorate now," Yashoda told to MyNation. Yashoda is still fighting the case in a court of law.
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.